The Real Sugar Story

Did you know that the average American consumes 88 grams of added sugar a day? That is as much as two to seven times more than we should consume in a given day.

It’s important to distinguish between added sugar and naturally occurring sugars. Fruits, some vegetables and dairy products already have sugar which we call “naturally occurring sugars” and it’s safe to say that everything else (soda, candy, cereal, etc.) has sugar that has been “added.” There are even some foods with “hidden sugar.”

According to the American Heart Association, children should only have 12 grams of added sugar a day, adult women 24 grams and adult men should have no more than 36 grams of added sugar in an entire day.

So where does this leave us? And where does this leave our children? Unfortunately, beginning with breakfast, the cereals in our markets are packed with more sugar than in one dessert. In some cases, some of the cereals have up to 20 grams of added sugar in one serving.

Reducing the amount of added sugar in your child’s diet is one of the quickest and simplest ways to improve overall health and well-being. Many people who reduce the amount of added sugar in their diets report improved moods, increased weight loss and less fatigue.